The Middle
by xopassionate
Summary: Rachel's detoxing, Brooke's over bros., and Peyton's trying to be the comet Lucas wrote about. But, really, they're lost in the middle of everything. BR LP
1. Hero

**Title:** The Middle  
**Author:** xoapassionateblue  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.  
**Summary:** Rachel's detoxing, Brooke's over bros., and Peyton is somewhere in the middle of it all.

**Note:** Yes, I'm excited to be posting my first story on this site. I'm hoping you all enjoy this. Hero is a single by Chad Kroeger of Nickelback. **Totally refurbished this chapter!**

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**Hero**

Peyton Sawyer sat at the kitchen table, a glass of steaming coffee in front of her. A full cup of something she didn't want at the moment, but it was all she had. Brooke Davis and Rachel Gatina had finished off the milk, which was for some reason what she had been craving the whole day before, after they had gotten back from New York, only hours before. At first, she had been angry, but it was useless. A lot of things seemed useless nowadays, at least to her.

For example, attempting to have Rachel sleep on the couch was useless because she had ended up in Brooke's bed, hiding her sick and shaking body under the sheets - her second stop, the first being the bathroom. Peyton knew that the drugs Rachel had taken had to have been strong, and taken more than they ought to have been - abstinence, notwithstanding. She was going through a painful withdrawal and it had only been a couple of hours since she had gotten to the house. Well, whatever. At least it wasn't Peyton's bed that Rachel was stealing.

Peyton couldn't help but smile at the thought as Brooke walked down the stairs. She planted herself on the couch, her hand diving out to retrieve the remote for the television.

_"Sarah, my love. I can't marry you. I'm in love with Joshua."_

Oh, please.

Peyton frowned and got up from the table, joining Brooke on the couch.

"Is nothing sacred anymore?" Brooke asked quietly, keeping her eyes fixed on the television.

"First Buffy, now this. I'm going to say no." Peyton answered, mimicking Brooke.

Brooke turned to look at Peyton. Peyton couldn't help but frown at the sight of fear in her friend's eyes. It was so powerful, so raw. It shook her to the core to see Brooke so afraid, for once.

"I wasn't talking about _this_." Brooke motioned to the television.

"I know, Brooke." Peyton agreed.

"How could I have let this happen?" Brooke asked, frowning. "She was my friend - she _is_ my friend - and I wasn't there for her when she needed me the most."

Peyton could hear the anger and sadness in her voice, though she knew Brooke was trying to hide it.

"Drugs, P. Sawyer?" Those words sounded so familiar in her head that it scared her to hear them again. "Drugs are not a way out, they provide no satisfaction whatsoever. She told me that they made her _feel_, and I know that I'm responsible for what she did and that I'm the reason she turned to drugs to make her feel _alive_."

"No, Brooke. You're not." Peyton jumped at the chance to react to her words. "This is not your fault, and this is the first thing you need to realize. What she did - it isn't because of you. It's because she doesn't feel good about herself and she thinks that she needs something to make her live and be happy, but that's not true. You know that she had issues back in high school, and she hasn't dealt with them yet. They've gotten bigger, and now she's here. The good thing is, you're a good enough friend to take her in and help her become a better person. You've given her the courage to be sober, and to think about being happy again."

Peyton paused for a moment, wrapping her arms around Brooke as she wiped fresh tears from her face.

"This is not your fault. You are not the enemy, Brooke. You are the hero."

That seemed to be enough to squash Brooke's insecurities for the time being, as she smiled and pulled away. "Thank you, P. Sawyer."

"That's why I'm here."

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I totally revamped this chapter, because to be honest it sucked before. Hopefully you all like it better. Please review to let me know how I'm doing, and feed my muse. :)


	2. Coming Up To Breathe

**Title:** The Middle  
**Author:** xoapassionateblue  
**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. Coming Up to Breathe is an album by MercyMe.  
**Summary:** Rachel's detoxing, Brooke's over bros., and Peyton is somewhere in the middle of it all.

**Note:** Thank you, static-disturbed and angel0wonder. I really appreciate the feedback! And yes, angel0wonder, you totally did it right. Also, I changed this one too a little bit. :)

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**Coming Up to Breathe  
**

The sun had risen and light filtered in through the small window in the bathroom, hitting Rachel, causing her to shiver as she tried in vain to shield herself. Her eyes were out of focus and her mind was blank. Her body was tired and hurting, and her throat burned as she dry-heaved. All the vomiting she had been doing through the night had finally gotten to her and there was nothing left.

"Damn it," Rachel muttered to herself, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them tightly.

She was so _fucking_ tired of this, of being sick and safe, when she never was before. But, she refused to complain because she knew it was her fault that this was happening. It had been her decision, and hers alone, to get addicted to such a dangerous drug, and she felt she deserved the pain of sobriety and detoxing.

It was only the second complete day she had been with Peyton and Brooke, and she hadn't talked to either of them much since she got there. Her time was spent puking and thinking. Mostly thinking. There were so many things on her mind, she could barely focus on one thing for more than a minute. For one, she had let so many people down with this painful addiction - Brooke being at the top of the list. She'd made her feel so miserable, because she didn't know about Rachel's secret agenda, and Rachel didn't exactly jump at the chance to let her know that Brooke was appreciated. Because, she truly was, but Rachel didn't have the words to tell her yet.

Besides, this whole 'sober' thing wasn't looking too good at the moment, and Rachel wanted to leave. She was always thinking about who she was and how she had gotten to this point. True, she'd had problems back in high school - being fat and having a total makeover being at the top of the list. From there, she'd thrown at herself at any boy that would give her a moment of their time. Drinking and sleeping around had sprung from that, and eventually she'd tried pot. She hadn't cared back then, and it was a shame too, she thought, because then maybe she would have had enough self-control to keep away from heroin.

With that thought, Rachel pushed herself off of the bathroom floor and drug her body slowly to the living room, sitting down on the couch with a 'plop.'

"Morning."

Rachel turned to see Brooke walking towards her with two cups of coffee. As Brooke held one out towards her, she took it and held it up to her lips, taking a small sip.

"This is really good." She commented quietly.

"Blue Hawaiian - as I recall, it was always your favorite." Brooke replied, smiling as she sat down next to Rachel on the couch. "Now, if you ask me what Peyton's favorite kind is, I'll draw a blank."

"Why's that?" Rachel asked.

The other woman shrugged. "She's my best friend, but I can't ever remember how she likes her drinks, or food. I only remember for you, my dear." With a wide grin, Brooke took a sip of her own and grimaced. "Remind me not to put ice cubes in this again."

"I told you that yesterday." Rachel replied, smiling.

"That you did." Brooke shrugged, "So… how is everything?"

"Still the same… never mind." Blushing slightly, the redhead turned her head away, looking away from Brooke.

"Owen told me about this… you're um... you know. Right?"

"Oh, yeah. Definitely." An unfortunate effect of going through withdrawal had her craving even the slightest touch from another human being, and it was driving her crazy. She was craving that natural high that physical contact with another person brought.

"So not awkward at all," Brooke commented, chuckling. "Can you believe that Jose kissed Maria?"

Grateful for a change in conversation, Rachel jumped at the chance to talk about the soap opera she'd been watching with Brooke the previous night.

"He is such a man-whore." She sighed.

Brooke laughed. "Oh, yeah. Tell me about it. He's so Lucas Scott."

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